25 Jun 2026
EIC Board calls for faster deployment of deep tech
The EIC Board has called for faster deployment of European deep tech solutions to strengthen the continent’s energy resilience, arguing that Europe’s long-term energy advantage will depend on scaling home-grown innovation.
In a new statement published on 24 June 2026, the Board stresses that recent geopolitical shocks have exposed a key vulnerability: with more than half of EU energy consumption still based on imported fossil fuels, Europe’s economic resilience, industrial competitiveness and strategic autonomy remain at risk.
At the same time, the Board sees the current situation as an opportunity to accelerate innovation and build new industrial capabilities. It points to the strong base already emerging across the European Innovation Council portfolio, where nearly 100 companies are developing technologies in 12 areas of the energy value chain. These include clean energy generation, storage, hydrogen, renewable fuels, electricity transmission, advanced materials and supply chain resilience.
According to the Board, Europe’s next challenge is to help promising technologies move from breakthrough innovation to large-scale industrial deployment and market uptake. To achieve this, it calls for continuity of funding, simpler regulation, faster permitting, stronger industrial demand and closer cooperation between innovators, investors, industry and policymakers.
The statement reflects the collective view of the EIC Board, which includes 20 independent experts from across Europe’s innovation ecosystem alongside the EIC Board President.
The statement can be downloaded here: